DAY 3 | Muda leader pledges to resign if he loses polls deposit

DAY 3 | It's the third day of campaigning for the six state elections.

Malaysiakini reports live from the ground.

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This concludes our live blog for the third day of the state polls campaign.

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Muda leader pledges to resign if he loses deposit in polls

9.30pm: Terengganu - Muda information chief Luqman Long says he’ll resign if he loses his deposit for the Bandar state seat in Terengganu.

“My promise is that if I can’t at least get back my deposit, I will let go of my position in the party leadership,” he says in a video posted on his Instagram account today.

He said this was to show that he was serious about contesting and winning in Bandar, and was not just seeking to split votes.

Luqman (above) is Muda’s sole candidate in Terengganu.

Incumbent Rawang rep alleges car sabotaged

8pm: Rawang, Selangor - Rawang incumbent Chua Wei Kiat claims his car was sabotaged.

Chua says he discovered a tyre on his car was deflated today, and initially assumed he had run over a nail.

However, he says a trip to the mechanic found no signs of the tyre being punctured or slashed.

“It’s clearly a planned act by someone!” he exclaims in a Facebook post.

The PKR candidate says this is the second time his car has been targeted, after having a stone thrown at it during the GE15 campaign.

Muda questions timing of PJD Link cancellation

6pm: Petaling Jaya, Selangor - Muda is sceptical about the caretaker Selangor state government’s motives to reject the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) project.

The party’s candidate for Bukit Gasing, VKK Raja, tells a press conference that the state government could have rejected the project months ago but only did so now due to its unpopularity with voters.

Mudas Seri Setia candidate Dobby Chew also expressed similar scepticism.

“While we receive the news warmly, it raises the question of whether this decision is made based on political calculations rather than an honest understanding of why PJD Link is unnecessary.

“It is equally crucial that the reasons behind the cancellation and all associated documentation be made accessible to the public,” he tweets.

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Jeneri hopeful Khizri claims some calling him 'khinzir'

5.45pm: Sik, Kedah - At a ceramah, Jeneri BN candidate Muhamad Khizri Abu Kassim calls on candidates and supporters to not resort to “below the belt” moves.

Without naming names, he claims that some quarters were ridiculing his name by calling him “khinzir” - the Malay word for pig.

“I was shown a video where I saw this and was shocked why it had to go to such an extent. As a Muslim, such terms should not be used against not only me but anybody.

“I don’t want trouble with anyone, but please don’t resort to such tactics and name-calling. I believe voters will know best,” he is quoted as saying by The Vibes.

“I have a family, a father and a mother who gave me a nice name. Let us respect and be good to each other, regardless of any political divide,” he adds.

‘Silent protest’ - Umno members to back PAS?

4pm: Sungai Panjang, Selangor - Umno candidate Mohd Imran Tamrin admits hearing that some disgruntled Umno members will not vote for BN.

Terming it a “silent protest” by Umno members, a local PAS leader reveals the same thing when addressing the party machinery last night.

“We get a lot of information from Umno members, we hear people whispering that they will vote for us this year. This is because they don’t want DAP to be part of the government, (they said) they will get DAP if they vote BN,” he adds.

PAS candidate Mohd Razali Saari tells Malaysiakini that their campaign is focused on BN supporters who are unhappy with the forming of an alliance with Pakatan Harapan.

“We heard that a significant number of Umno members want to ‘silent protest’. So we target these members who cannot accept working with Harapan because voting for BN is voting for Harapan and voting for Harapan is voting for (Umno president Ahmad) Zahid (Hamidi),” he adds.

Hilman wants to focus on bread and butter issue

3.30pm: Gombak Setia, Selangor - Incumbent Gombak Setia assemblyperson Hilman Idham, who is defending the seat for PN, wants to focus his campaign on bread and butter issues instead of harping on racial and religious sentiments.

Hilman says that while there are many issues at the federal level that have hurt the feelings of Malay and Muslims, the state polls are meant for choosing state administrators who will deal with universal issues concerning everyone regardless of their race and religion.

"This is about choosing the state government, which will decide on policies that affect the rakyat's daily life. A state government deals with issues such as local councils, townships, land and district.

"All these issues are universal. Take garbage collection as an example, it is an issue that affects everyone, not only the Malays. Same goes with the water supply issue,” he tells a media engagement session.

“So this is why I believe it is better for me to be objective (in my campaign)," he says, adding that the people are also more mature politically and many are already fed up with divisive politics.

Ex-PKR man confident of defending Gombak Setia for PN

3pm: Gombak Setia, Selangor - Incumbent Gombak Setia assemblyperson Hilman Idham expresses his optimism that he will be able to defend the seat, this time for Perikatan Nasional.

Speaking during a media engagement session, the former PKR member says there is a huge difference in today's political landscape compared to the recent general election, which saw his mentor Azmin Ali fail to defend his Gombak parliamentary seat.

"I admit that my opponent (BN's Megat Zulkarnain Omardin) also has some advantages because his party is part of the federal government and also the Selangor state administration.

"However, I also believe that the rakyat today have become wiser to choose objectively based on issues they face daily.

"At the same time, the political landscape has also changed, where now the battle is between two coalitions instead of three, and this will make it easier for the rakyat to choose," Hilman tells the media at his service centre in Gombak Setia.

Lau urges Gerakan members to put differences aside

2pm: Bayan Lepas, Penang - Gerakan president Dominic Lau calls on party members to focus on helping the party win the state election.

"Put aside your own agenda. Whatever is not good for the party, don't mention it. Now, everyone should be 'satu hati' (one) to help the party win the state election; it is more important."

NST reports that former Gerakan secretary-general Liang Teik Meng told Lau to relinquish his post if he loses in state polls.

In response, Lau tells reporters that he had been given the mandate to lead the party for one term which he intends to do.

He also welcomes those who lost in the party election to come back and help Gerakan regain its strength to win the state polls.

Sidam will see ‘friendly match’, says PN candidate

1pm: Sidam, Kedah – Perikatan Nasional’s candidate Juliana Abdul Ghani describes the straight fight in Sidam as a “friendly match”.

Juliana divulges that she and Pakatan Harapan candidate Bau Wong Bau Ek are long-time friends.

“I do not have any personal issues with Bau Wong. We have known each other since 2012 through my NGO, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Naga Emas. We have since been doing charity work together,” she tells reporters during her campaign in Kampung Padang Meligai.

Both candidates are fresh faces fielded to contest in the PKR stronghold.

Sidam’s incumbent Robert Ling won the seat under PKR in the 2018 general election but jumped to Bersatu in 2020.

Amanah to revoke some memberships

1pm: Amanah members who became candidates, proposers, and supporters during nomination day last Saturday without the party’s permission will have their membership automatically revoked, says Amanah secretary-general Hatta Ramli.

Hatta reminds members that the purpose of the seat negotiations between Pakatan Harapan and BN is to ensure straight fights in the election.

“In any cooperation and negotiation, the principles of ‘win-win’ will always be the priority. However, to achieve this, surely every party involved has to make sacrifices to ensure greater victory at hand.

“Amanah hopes all candidates and machinery can focus on ensuring all contested seats can be won,” he says in a statement.

Amanah is fielding 31 candidates under the Harapan logo in cooperation with BN for this state election.

Man detained for pelting PAS HQ with stones

1pm: Police have arrested a 36-year-old man for allegedly throwing stones at the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, resulting in the glass panel shattering.

Bernama quoted a source as saying that the suspect, who is unemployed, was detained in Lorong Tiong Nam, Chow Kit.

The case is being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code, which states: “Whoever commits mischief and thereby causes loss or damage to the amount of RM25 ringgit or upwards, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than one year and not more than five years or with fine or with both.”

Harapan candidate: Winning Sidam will be gift to late father

12.30pm: Sidam, Kedah - Pakatan Harapan’s Bau Wong Bau Ek (above) remains in high spirits during his campaign trail despite losing his father recently.

“My uncle managed to inform my late father that I’ll be contesting, but I didn’t get to…

“So, if I emerge victorious in Sidam, it’ll be a gift to my late father,” he tells reporters during his walkabout at the Sungai Petani Wholesale Wet Market today.

Bau Wong says his father Bau Ek Eddin Boon, 87, passed away last Saturday (July 29) due to old age. The funeral will be held tomorrow.

It will be a straight fight between Bau Wong and Perikatan Nasional’s Juliana Abdul Ghani in Sidam.

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Hassan: Graft, corruption affect perception

11.30am: Contrary to a statement by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim says that graft and corruption are not only legal issues but also affect perception.

"Corruption relates to ethics, not just legal matters. Election without corruption is one that is clean and fair," says the PKR veteran.

"As an MP, I disagree with the additional grants announced by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in Terengganu, during the election campaign."

Anwar yesterday denied that Zahid's announcement of RM250,000 to the Terengganu Youth Council and RM200,000 to motorcycle teams throughout the state was related to the polls.

BN-Harapan candidates promise ‘Greater Alor Setar’

11:15am: Alor Setar, Kedah - BN-Harapan candidates promise a ‘Greater Alor Setar’ should they win the nine seats in the state’s capital.

These include improving tourism, agriculture, quality of life, utilities and cost of living.

Derga incumbent and contesting candidate Tan Kok Yew announces this at a press conference today. Also in attendance is former Kedah menteri besar Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah.

Jeram Padang BN candidate injured in accident

9.30am: BN candidate for Jeram Padang Zaidy Abdul Kadir is injured following an accident in southern Negeri Sembilan.

According to Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, the incident occurred at 3.25am today and the driver of the vehicle was in critical condition.

Asyraf urges Malaysians to pray for their speedy recovery.

Ministry: Haim’s contract with UUM cut short due to performance issue

8.30am: The Higher Education Ministry denies that a Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) lecturer's contract was cut short after he decided to become a Perikatan Nasional candidate in the state elections.

The minister in a statement says the contract for Haim Hilman Abdullah - PN's candidate for Jitra - was cut short due to performance issues, noting that a report was lodged on June 16 last year and that he and others had given statements in September last year.

After filing his nomination papers, Haim alleged on Saturday that his contract was cut short "hastily", and that this had hurt his feelings.

Meanwhile, a fellow UUM professor, Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani, questions in a Facebook post whether Haim - whom he alleges was an Umno division leader in Selangor - is contesting to serve the people of Jitra, or to get back at the Higher Education and the university.

Reezal seeking redemption with Bertam contest

8am: Bertam, Penang - After losing his Kepala Batas Parliament seat to Perikatan Nasional in the 15th general election, BN's Reezal Merican Naina Merican is seeking redemption with his contest for the Bertam state seat.

“I just want to redeem the loss that I experienced eight months ago by retaking Bertam and bringing it back to the fold of Umno and BN,” he is reported as saying by Free Malaysia Today yesterday.

In his speech, he highlighted that despite losing in GE15, in Bertam itself he had received 881 more votes than PN, indicating strong support from its constituents to serve them.

According to GE15 data, only 33 percent of voters cast ballots for PN, while BN bagged 38 percent and Harapan 29 percent in Bertam - which is under the Kepala Batas federal constituency.

When asked if he was in the running to also become a Penang deputy chief minister, Reezal stated that BN had not yet discussed the matter.

DAY 1 | Providing bus services an offence? Let MACC decide - Fahmi

DAY 2 | Don't just sit back and watch - Azmin urges Malays to vote